EVs on Speed: The Jevons Paradox Strikes Again

EVs on Speed: The Jevons Paradox Strikes Again

Author: Post Carbon Institute January 14, 2026 Duration: 43:18
Crazy Town
ScienceEarthNaturalNature

Mainstream economists and environmentalists share something in common. Both tend to tout efficiency -- think better light bulbs -- as the solution to climate change and all our other environmental problems. But the little-understood Jevons Paradox intervenes to overwhelm any progress that comes from improved efficiency. We skewer the efficiency gains of electric vehicles, lighting, and plenty of other sectors, and we cover ideas for avoiding the efficiency trap, including unveiling our new political platform, which is sure to take the country by storm.

Sources/Links/Notes:

  1. Jason Barlow, "EVs Have Gotten Too Powerful," Wired, September 19, 2025.
  2. Russ Heaps, "Heaviest Electric Vehicles of 2025," Kelley Blue Book, April 7, 2025.
  3. Wikipedia article on energy efficiency in transport that includes a table that compares many modes of transport
  4. William Stanley Jevons, The Coal Question: An Inquiry concerning the Progress of the Nation, and the Probable Exhaustion of our Coal-mines (London: Macmillan and Co., 1866). 2nd edition, revised.
  5. Tomas Kloucek, "Darkness as an Endangered Species: Why Light Pollution Matters," Earth Bridge, June 11, 2025.
  6. Scenic America, "Billboards in the Sky: The Hidden Culprit Behind Light Pollution," July 30, 2025.
  7. Prepared Mind, "Welcome to the Great Unraveling (Tapestry Cloud Style Reweaving Polycrisis into Polyopportunity," June 20, 2025.
  8. 2,000 Watt Society
  9. Calculate your ecological footprint.


Related episode(s) of Crazy Town:

  1. Episode 3, "One Point Twenty-One Jigawatts"
  2. Episode 19, "I Can’t Drive... 35! The Rationale for Rationing"
  3. Episode 101, "Even AI Chatbots Hate Us: The Rise of the New Luddites, with Brian Merchant"


Trying to make sense of a world that often feels like it's lost the plot? That's the space where Crazy Town lives. Hosted by Asher, Rob, and Jason from the Post Carbon Institute, this fortnightly conversation navigates the disorienting headlines and deeper systemic crises-from climate chaos and ecological overshoot to the relentless engine of runaway capitalism-with a necessary blend of sharp analysis and dark humor. They’re not just diagnosing the "Great Unraveling" of our social and environmental fabric; they’re actively exploring what a transition to a genuinely sustainable and equitable society could look like, all while trying to keep their own wits about them. This podcast is for anyone who looks at the status quo and senses the profound delusions holding it together, offering listeners a mix of grounded understanding and candid discussion that’s as engaging as it is urgent. Tune in for conversations that are both a reality check and a search for a viable path forward.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 165

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